China's service sector activity expanded in April, but at a slower pace, an official monthly survey showed on Friday.

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the non-manufacturing sector fell to 53.4 in April from 53.7 for March and 53.9 for February, according to a report released jointly by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

It represented the lowest reading since January of 2014, when the non-manufacturing PMI also posted at 53.4.

China's non-manufacturing PMI tracks the business activities of the services and construction sectors. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 represents contraction.

Zhao Qinghe, a senior analyst with the NBS, said April's reading indicated China's non-manufacturing sector continued to maintain growth, but at a slower pace.

NBS data showed that the service sector sub-index gained slightly to 52.4 in April, up from 52.3 in March and 51.4 in February.

Zhao attributed the faster expansion of the service sector to growth in industries such as the Internet, software and information technology services, and retail trade.

The sub-index for business activities expectations posted at 60, the highest reading since last September,indicating that non-manufacturing enterprises continued to remain optimistic about the market for the next three months, Zhao said.

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